Cifran 500 Tablet

Cifran 500 Tablet contains ciprofloxacin, a widely used antibiotic prescribed for respiratory, urinary and gastrointestinal infections. It is also used in skin/soft tissue infections and gonococcal infections. It is a bactericidal medicine belonging to a group of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones.

Cifran 500 Tablet should be taken as advised by your doctor. It is best to take it after food to prevent side effects. All antibiotic therapies should be completed and not stopped midway, even if you feel well. Try not to miss a dose, and never try to compensate for a missed dose by taking double the dosage.

Side effects of Cifran 500 Tablet are usually minor and should not be of any concern. As it is an antibiotic, gastrointestinal side effects such as stomach pain, diarrhoea and vomiting are common. Your doctor may also prescribe an acidity-regulating medicine (PPI such as pantoprazole) to counter these side effects.

This medicine is contraindicated for expecting mothers and people with allergies to ciprofloxacin. Always let your doctor know of any health conditions you might have. Generally, this medicine is considered safe for most people.

Cifran 500 Tablet contains ciprofloxacin (II-generation fluoroquinolone), a highly effective antibiotic. It treats bacterial infections in the urinary tract (UTIs), gastrointestinal tract (gastroenteritis), respiratory tract, skin and soft tissue.

Ciprofloxacin is effective against gram-negative bacteria (Neisseria, H. influenza, E. coli, Klebsiella, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Salmonella, Shigella sp.) as well as Mycoplasma and Chlamydophila. It has poor activity against streptococci and anaerobe.

Your doctor will prescribe you Cifran 500 Tablet for a specific number of days after assessing the extent of the bacterial infection. To ensure proper recovery and prevent antibiotic resistance, you should complete the medication’s course and not miss a dose.

Cifran 500 Tablet contains ciprofloxacin, a widely used antibiotic prescribed primarily to treat various bacterial infections. Ciprofloxacin is a II-generation fluoroquinolone and a bactericidal (which means it kills bacteria instead of stalling their activity)

Fluoroquinolones, like ciprofloxacin, work by inhibiting two enzymes crucial for bacterial DNA synthesis. So bacteria are unable to replicate their DNA, and the existing double-stranded DNA breaks and cell death occurs.

This medicine is highly active against aerobic (bacteria that grow in an oxygenated environment) and gram-negative bacilli while having poor activity against streptococci and anaerobes.

1. Cartilage damage, tendonitis and tendon rupture

Ciprofloxacin is generally contraindicated for pregnant women and children under 15 years because it might cause damage to growing cartilage. Ciprofloxacin is known to cause some level of cartilage damage, tendonitis (inflammation of the thick cords that attach muscle to bone) and tendon rupture. Some studies show potential for arthropathy as well.

Due to these side effects, ciprofloxacin has been used in children 6–16 yr old and pregnant women in limited situations to treat serious infections.

2. CNS side effects.

Ciprofloxacin is lipophilic (tending to combine with or dissolve in fats); thus it has the ability to cross a border called the blood–brain barrier and enter the CNS (central nervous system). This is why, in rare cases, patients who take ciprofloxacin for a long duration experience problems associated with the nervous system, like mental fog, agitations, insomnia and seizures.

3. Do not go out into the sun.

People who take ciprofloxacin may develop photosensitive skin; that is, they become more sensitive to sunlight than they are normally. Exposure to sunlight, in these situations, may cause sunburn, discolouration, skin rash, and itching.

After you take ciprofloxacin, you should avoid exposing your eyes and skin to sunlight (and other sources of artificial UV light) for at least 24 hours.

• Ciprofloxacin (medlineplus.gov)
• ciprofloxacin (nhs.uk)
• Philip Anderson - Handbook of Clinical Drug Data